


We Survived, Now We Live

by desicat



Category: The Banner Saga (Video Games)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-14
Updated: 2020-12-03
Packaged: 2021-03-10 00:08:45
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,916
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27565054
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/desicat/pseuds/desicat
Summary: We lost so much making it to Aberrang and surviving the warped. Alette and Ludin are trying to figure out how to build a life with so little now.
Relationships: Alette/Ludin (The Banner Saga)
Kudos: 4





	1. Chapter 1

Ludin moved away from the Lauga godstone needing privacy from the soft confessions and loud slaps. The Goddess of affection, though dead, indeed made people bold. He thought he was mostly alone when his eye caught long red hair. It had been months since he saw Alette let her hood down. “I almost forgot how lovely your hair is.”  
She ran her fingers through her hair, looking a little embarrassed when it was caught in tangles. “I- uh- thanks, Your beard is coming along nicely.”  
Scratching his facial hair, “I lost my razors at some point.”  
“Oh most of the men use their weapons.”  
Ludin cleared his throat to avoid saying something rude. Watching her fingers dance over her father’s axe, perhaps she missed him. “Thinking of a cherished one?”  
“A friend I grew up with. He didn’t make it past Frostvellr.”  
He felt a tightness in his jaw and tried not to question his reaction. “Egil? Iver mentioned he had a talent with a shield.”  
“I do think the Varl misses him. I’m surprised you remembered his name.”  
Ludin rubbed the back of his head. “I’ve a good memory. Besides I’m curious about you.”  
Alette blinked looking confused “Me? I’m a village girl from the woods.”  
He laughed, “You're a chieftain who manages a caravan with not one but two terrifying menders. You are not merely a woman from the woods.” he had stressed ‘woman’ a bit more than he intended. Her eyelashes downcasted and he felt struck by how strong and feminine she was. He walked towards her, when he saw her make a panic glance to the Godstone he came back to his right mind. He moved her hood to cover her face again, “We should probably be going. Before people gossip.”  
She looked up at him, her azure eyes danced with a smirk on her face, “I thought you were above what we peasants think.”

XXX  
Ludin could hear music and singing someone had offered him a flask of mead. Ignoring the man the prince approached Hakon, the king of the remaining Varl. The big Yox-Man placed his hand on Ludin’s shoulders, “The timing is poor but the clan are celebrating making it to Arberrang.”  
“With the Darkness mere meters from our walls? Why not. Forgive me I’m not in the mood to be around such merriment.” barely heard Hakon say of course over the noise. He was moving back toward the castle. He felt someone grabbing his arm, annoyed he turned to give them a withering remark. Instead it was Alette grinning without her cloak but still armed with her bow and father’s axe. “Have you been fighting in a skirt this whole time?” Yrsa, his easily missable shadow snickered.  
She released his arm to smooth out her skirt, “I did try to wear pants when we first left Skogr. I’m not here to discuss my clothes. Come on let's dance.” She went to pull in Yrsa, who must have been threatening, because Alette quickly withdrew and gave a hopeful smile to him.  
“I’m not in the mood.” He crossed his arms expecting it to be the end.  
She dramatically rolled her eyes and spun around him, giving him a light push toward the crowd. “You’ve been in a mood since I met you. Act your age.” she couldn’t see his smile. He didn’t correct the Varl when they thought he was older than he was. Alette probably guessed more accurately that he was only 1 maybe 2 years older than her. He felt pressure behind his eyes and an ache in his chest. Yrsa whispered and Alette gasped. “Ludin, I am sorry. I know the loss of a father is a deep grief.” She gently took his hand.  
He spoke so quietly he wasn’t sure she heard, “Does it get easier?”  
She brushed his cheek, he realized they were wet, “If it has, I’ve been too busy to notice. Ludin is there anything I could do for you? Make you tea?”  
He waved at the coming darkness that the menders still had no answer for. “Can you do anything about this.”  
Her fingers brushed her quiver gazing intently on the horizon, “Perhaps with a few arrows I could make a dent. What do you think Yrsa, make it rain fire to abate the darkness? Yrsa? I think she left.”  
“Now I’m without my bodyguard.”  
Alette grinned mischievously, “Fortunately you have me. I’ll get you into trouble.”  
“Alette, do you know what a guard does?” 

XXX

Ludin scratched his beard, he had taken a census of the remaining humans and varl. Not even a thousand bodies remained and most were soldiers, not many knew how to farm or rebuild. Alette had taken it upon herself to count the dredge who chose to settle a little bit away from Arberrang. Ludin approached them, their warbling sounds and bright yellow eyes alarmed him. He had to stifle the urge to reach for his spear on his back. 

Walking past Eyvind who was weaving a pattern and what were apple seeds had sprouted rapidly into sappings. It was worth the effort to smoosh through the rotten fruit. The prince found the woman surrounded by some tiny dredge. He guessed they were giggling at the sounds she was making. Bastion, grumbled at him. Hearing her dredge companion she turned to face the prince. She was holding a stone colored child who was amused with her red hair.

Ludin smiled at the sight, “Having fun?”  
She flushed, “It’s a little hard to communicate, Eyvind was helping. He got frustrated so I gave him some apple seeds.” A woman had come out of a hut carrying a large plate, she made some tones and some of the dredge gathered. More people were coming out with more plates and the child Alette was holding wiggled free to join the group. “You can join us for lunch. I’ll go get Eyvind’s attention.” Ludin felt like an afterthought, and he would be polite and try dredge food. Alette had a firm grip on the mender’s arm as she pulled him towards the gathering. “I don’t care if you're not hungry, you didn’t eat breakfast.”  
“I make them uncomfortable.” The mender looked aged well before his time.  
“You pull lightning from the skies and make apple seeds grow two feet in the morning. Of course everyone is uncomfortable.”  
The mender wretched his arm free, grabbing some food and walking loudly back to the city. Alette gestured to Ludin as she sat down on the ground taking from the platter like everyone else, and to his horror popped it straight into her mouth. “Alette, plates, knives-”  
She giggled, cutting him off, “Eat with your hands prince of men.”  
“When was the last time you washed your hands?”  
She shrugged and continued eating, obviously enjoying how much it bothered him. Then she sobered up, “I don’t know about what our hosts consider polite. I think you are being rude.”  
A year ago he would have scoffed, rude or not he wasn’t going to be unsanitary. It has only been 3 months since the near end of the world. Even with the 3 remaining menders rapidly growing crops, they still had to ration food. He tentatively picked at some charred squashed tasting the delightful spiciness of it. Then he heard Alette groan and croone and Bastion gently elbowed in his side.  
“You speak dredge?”  
“Barely. I said you were fond of the food.”  
“What if I wasn’t?”  
“Then I guess I lied.” She didn’t seem troubled. 

Later they were walking back, “Ludin why did you come out?”  
“Some scouts found some sheep, none of them knew how to herd them. A few were bitten trying to carry them back. I was wondering if you knew anyone who could herd some sheep.” It was a weak excuse he could have asked many others.  
“How many?”  
“A dozen”  
“It's not that hard, and I want to get away for a day.” She gestured widely. “I just need one more person who is competent with a staff. I’ll ask Tryggvi.”  
“I can help. I could use your charming company.”  
“Just don’t spear the sheep.”


	2. Beautiful Women Can Always Bump Into Me

Ludin wasn’t meant to be a sheep herder. A sheep would always splinter off and he would try running after it, hearing Alette’s laugh ring in his ear. She would occasionally hold her spear horizontally and any rouge sheep would nestle back into the small herd. 

He flopped onto the ground. “We need a dog.”  
Taking off her cloak and spreading it on the grass “Dogs are only useful if you train them. Also I’ve not seen one since before the darkness. I’m surprised there are sheep.” She sat on her cloak patting next to her so he moved closer.   
“How are you so good at so many things?”  
“Ludin, I’m not good. I watched adults do it when I was a kid. I couldn’t manage a large herd. You on the other hand are able to oversee a large number of humans, Varl, Dredge, and Horseborn. How did the census go?”  
“We have a few carpenters, some bakers, No stone masons. Of a thousand varl and humans most are fighters.”  
“I was so focused on surviving the warped I lost sight of the clansmen.” She pulled up her knees, resting her chin.   
He knew she was ashamed. Ever since Eyvind called up the earth from the waterfall so they could escape the horde of dredge she held the belief she could have saved more people.   
“It was the right call, menders were falling in exhaustion and we didn’t have the space.” She stood clearing her throat and picking her spear. They continued herding the sheep.   
“You know I’m surprised you didn’t have Eyvind come join you.” He was trying to use the butt of his spear to guide a sheep back, who angrily bleated at him.   
“Eyvind? He is of more use in Abberang”  
“It is rare to see you two apart, people were saying there was a romance.” He didn’t realize he held his breath.  
“You listen to gossip? No he misses Juno. He doesn’t take care of himself and he doesn’t see things like he used to.” Alette chewed her lip.  
Ludin guessed she was withholding how worried she really was about the mender.“And he is too powerful to let waste away.”  
“When my father died, he was kind. He went out of his way to distract me. I hope I can be as good of a friend.”

Ludin abruptly realized Alette had also gone out of her way to help him. She mended some of his clothes, found some ink for him, and right now she was humoring him with the sheep. Tryggvi would have made the process easier. She also seemed to know when he was especially missing his father and tell him amusing tales of Iver or her own father. Looking at the red head not noticing the deviant sheep wandering off. “Thank you.”  
“Of course,” reflexively. “I mean for what?”   
“You’ve been more than a good friend the past few months.”  
“My pleasure. Also I think we lost that sheep”

XXX  
Alette and Ubin were greeting the horseborn and cataloging what they had brought back in the carts. Ubin scribbling on some parchment, “Ro’che did well searching the godstones.”  
Alette looked around them, “Did you find any humans or Varl?”  
Ro’che tapped his hoof impatiently, “Only bones.”  
The old varl raised a wooden pot, “Look at this Alette, Feverfew”  
Derdiru skittered a bit, “Not food, pretty.”  
Alette smiled, she hoped to add some beauty. “Feverfew is a medicine.” the horseborn woman repeated the word unclear what it meant. Ubin let out a trill, communicating, and Derdiru’s confusion cleared.  
Ubin handed Alette a paper, “That is a list of everything. For the prince.”  
“Isn’t he technically King?”  
“Oh little one, we need a coronation for that!” The old Varl grinned.  
Some people joked they would rather celebrate a wedding. Alette waved them over letting Ubin direct them on where to plant what.  
XXX  
She made her way to Ludin who had a few books open in his lap and on a small table next to him. Yrsa was there talking to the Prince, “A man offered to make ink, he needs charcoal. I have burned a lot of things.”  
Ludin annoyed, “It won’t be quality ink, but we did survive an apocalypse so who am I to complain. Although the women have started making eyeliner with the charred items. Waste of time.” Alette cleared her throat, Ludin looked up seeing the thin black lines highlighting the fullness of her lashes. “Let me amend myself, a beautiful waste of time.”  
Yrsa pursed her lips and walked away. Alette sat next to him moving one of his books into her lap, handing him a piece of paper. “Ubin catalogued what the horseborn brought back from the god stones that they could visit. Some useful medicine herbs. Nuts and some seeds. If the menders have time they can start growing them.”  
“I wish we had more menders. Zefr and Eyvind cannot bear the sight of each other. The poor apprentice who has to go between the two.”  
“It’s hard to find talent like that. Eyvind had offered to teach me, I could always take him up on it.”  
“I don’t want people to be afraid of you.”  
Alette looked at him. Anxiety punctuated her words and he could tell she was unsure how to say it, “Eyvind is mentally unstable and he is significantly more powerful than Zefr.”  
He tried to avoid where this conversation had to go “Trygvvi isn’t exactly sane company.”  
“Trygvvi is an honest and brave man who is aware he doesn’t see the world like others do. Eyvind doesn’t think that humanity deserved to be saved or protected. I’m afraid one day he’ll snap and wipe us out.”  
Ludin understood, “We are walking on the knife’s edge of needing him to survive and he might destroy us. If you become a mender, you can offset the need of him a little. You know people won’t accept a queen as a mender.”  
She grinned, fluttering her thick highlighted eyelashes, “Unless it is beside a king.”   
He couldn’t remember why he disapproved of eyeliner. 

XXX  
Ludin swore he was just walking by when some men ‘voluntold’ him to get the roof and start helping. Why did they need so much straw to thatch a roof? It was late summer and it was hot, it dawned on him that it was lucky that the sun was stuck in the air during winter. So many more people would have died if it had gotten colder. He heard some women calling, bringing buckets of water. He approached seeing Alette with an unstrung bow with light swirls carved into it. She giggled saying she had a trick if the men didn’t mind waiting a bit. People were nervous but nodded. Gently moving her fingers in intricate patterns occasionally plucking the air. She then offered a cup to the nearest man, who cried out it was cold! People gasped and delighted in the treat on such a hot and humid day. 

He came up next to her, “Nice trick.”   
She looked at him a little startled, “Ludin! I didn’t recognize you... without your shirt.” her eyes wandered over him. Some men chuckled.   
“And here I thought my face made me identifiable.”   
She flushed. “Iver is expecting me.” She quickly left his sight. An older man muttered that he should go after the lady he embarrassed. Ludin quickly took off after her, grabbing her arm from behind. She whirled around colliding into his chest.   
“Uh s’cuse me.”  
Ludin chuckled, “A pretty woman can always bump into me.” her hand was on his chest and he realized he hadn’t put on a shirt.   
“Ludin, I don’t know what to make of you anymore.” She was talking into his neck. He wanted to look at her, but there was privacy in being this close. “Not even 4 months ago when we were a caravan. I had no time to think about you or your distracting beard. Now you tell me I’m charming and pretty and-.” He didn’t think, he pulled back and kissed her. She made a little squeak and she didn’t move away, but her arms hung heavily on her sides. Her soft mouth was unmoving. He pulled away realizing he must have misunderstood.   
“Alette I’m sorry, I thought-”  
The corners of her mouth turned upward gently. Wrapping her arms around his neck, moving onto her toes she pressed her mouth to his enthusiastically. He pulled her hips toward him. She groaned and his mind calculated whose home was closer. Then he heard a loud cough. The Varl, Iver, towered over him. Reluctantly he released Alette and moved away from her.   
“I was wondering what was taking her so long. I should probably threaten you young prince on Rook’s behalf.” Iver merely shrugged.  
Ludin, “I considered myself warned. My intentions are only honorable”  
Alette grinned, “Mine aren’t.”  
Iver raised an eyebrow, “You are exactly like your mother. She threw an axe at a deer and told Rook he was her man.” Alette touched her father’s axe at her hip. “Yes that axe. Come on little one, I need your help.”  
Ludin watched them walk away. Hearing Iver complain that finally the world had become sane enough for young people to figure out their feelings.


End file.
